Father and Son

Cat Stevens

Lyrics

Intro

G → C/G(x4, with riff)

Verse v1

GDCAm7 Its not time to make a change, just relax and take it easy
GEmAmAm7D You're still young, that's your fault, there's so much you have to know
GDCAm7 Find a girl, settle down, if you want to you can marry
GEmAmAm → Am7 → D7 Look at me, I am old, but I am happy
GBm7CAm7 I was once like you are now, and I know that its not easy
GEmAmAm → Am7 → D7 To be calm when you've found something going on
GBm7CAm7 But take your time, think a lot, why, think of everything you've got
GEmDG → C/G For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not
(intro riff)
(Bm7)
How can I try to explain? When I do he turns away again
Its always been the same, same old story
From the moment I could take I was ordered to listen
Now there's a way, and I know that I have to go away
DCG → C/G I know I have to go
(intro riff)

Solo

(instrumental verse)
(D)
Its not time to make a change, just sit down and take it slow
You're still young, that's your fault, there's so much you have to go through
Find a girl, settle down, if you want to you can marry
Look at me, I am old, but I am happy
(Bm7)
All the times that I've cried keeping all the things I knew inside
Its hard, but its harder to ignore it
If they were right I'd agree, but its them they know not me
Now there's a way, and I know I have to go away
I know I have to go

Two Variations of the Verse Chords

Note that there are two versions of the verse used throughout this song. The only difference between them is a D is used as the second chord in v1, while a Bm7 is used as the second chord in v2. An example of each is here:

Verse, part 1 (with D)

e-|---------3-----------------2----------------0---------------3------
B-|---------0-----------------3----------------1---------------1------
G-|---------0-----------------2----------------0---------------0------
D-|---------0-----------------0----------------2---------------2------
A-|---------2----------------------------------3---------------0------
E-|---------3---------------------------------------------------------
GDCAm7
"It's not time... to make a change... just relax... take it easy..."

Verse, part 2 (with Bm7)

e-|---------3--------------------2------------0----------------------3---
B-|---------0--------------------3------------1----------------------1---
G-|---------0--------------------2------------0----------------------0---
D-|---------0--------------------4------------2----------------------2---
A-|---------2--------------------2------------3----------------------0---
E-|---------3------------------------------------------------------------
GBm7CAm7
"I was once... like you are now... and I know... that it's not easy..."

The song uses a D-style verse the 1st, 4th, and 5th verses (including the solo). A Bm7-style verse is used for the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th verses.

Intro Riff

The intro of this song is a good example of the very common switch between G and C/G . In my experience, the key to doing this easily is using your ring finger to play the bottom-most E string -- and using that same ring ringer to mute the 5th (A) string. With your pinky on the highest E string, your index and middle fingers are free to take their positions in the C/G chord (exactly like they would in a C chord).

"I was once like you are now..."

Song Info

Song: Father and SonArtist: Cat StevensAlbum: Tea for the TillermanYear: 1970Label: Island

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About

My name is David Potsiadlo, and I created Songnotes to share my collection of guitar tabs, chords, and lyrics for my favorite songs.

Since I started playing guitar over 10 years ago, I've often been frustrated by the preponderance of mediocre and incomplete song tabs littered across the internet. To combat this, I started keeping my own collection of notes for each song I learn -- always taking the extra time to make sure accuracy and completeness are never compromised. Years later, my collection grew to the point where I knew I had to share it online with fellow aspiring musicians.

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